For The Road
by Jara257
Summary: OC-centric. Jazz's life is full of secrets, but just because she can't hear, doesn't mean she won't find out the truth. When her old vocal instructor turns up at her door, suddenly her entire life is suddenly changed as she dives into a world of dangerous criminals, strange cyborgs and best of all, magic. Buckle up-we're taking taking this adventure for the road.


A/N: This story has absolutely no canon characters. It is based on the world of Skulduggery Pleasant and makes reference to it, but does not follow the main story line. You are more than welcome to turn back if this does not interest you.

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For Jazz, it seemed a strange day to be hearing anything.

It was still the fall season in Buffalo, but you could feel the onset of winter as the wind sent crisp leaves tumbling across the asphalt. The sky was overcast and it seemed the entire world was a muted grey as she pedalled past a dull beige car. She heard a loud honk and she winced, wishing so hard to just turn off her hearing, but continued on as she turned into one of the side streets lined with brick houses, many with worn shingles that needed replacing years ago. She'd be home soon.

Though, she supposed she could have stayed at the library a bit longer. After the day she'd had, library time was a complete bliss.

It had started with Samantha Gardner. Then again, what else was new? It was always Samantha-her and her dumb clique. But this time seemed far worse than any other time. Jazz could take Samantha teasing her about her voice and her 'elf ears'. She'd dealt with that plenty of times before. But taking her idea and claiming it as her own? Now that, that was a low blow.

Unfortunately, she'd not even a chance to explain anything. By the time she'd found the right words to speak with the teacher, class was over. And Samantha won.

Although, she supposed today wasn't all bad. She smiled as she thought of the book in her backpack, _And The Darkness Rained Upon_ Them by the late Gordon Edgely. No one at her school had even gotten a copy as of yet and the one Ms. Hawthorn had given her was a first edition exclusive.

Slowing down her bike, the young teen hopped off, her basketball sneakers hitting the uneven asphalt that made up her driveway. Some good and some bad, she lamented as she walked her bike into the garage. But at least the day couldn't get much worse after this, right?

She turned around, blinking at the sight before her. Engrossed as she'd been in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed the car currently parked in the driveway-one she'd never seen before. No family friends, or friend of hers for that matter, had a car like that.

Contemplating for a moment, she decided it was time to investigate the mystery visitor before actually heading inside. Her mom wasn't expecting her home for at least a five more minutes.

Rounding the house, she peered in through one of the side windows between the curtains. Her mother, still in her nurse's scrubs, was sitting by the table. She seemed rather upset by the way she sat so rigidly in her seat. Jazz's eyes moved away to focus on another woman leaning against the kitchen counter. The woman looked Latina and seemingly young, likely in her early 20s. She seemed highly familiar but Jazz couldn't quite put her finger on it...

Regardless, she could tell both of them were talking based on the way they were moving, but she couldn't understand them. Perhaps she needed a better angle.

Quickly jogging round to the back of the house, she carefully looked in, taking care to ensure that her mother wouldn't see her.

"...I know he's missing," her mother said, "But I can't just leave and you know that."

The dark haired woman gave her mother a look. "I think you underestimate your kid, Carmen. I'm sure she's more than capable."

Her mother glared. "She's vulnerable and you of all people should know that."

Jazz pressed her lips into a thin line at the older woman's statement. She almost turned away when suddenly the young woman banged her fist against the counter. Jazz almost cried out in pain, clutching her ear as she heard a sharp keening noise. Promptly, she reached behind her ear and switched off her cochlear implant.

Being able to read lips had its advantages. But having a cochlear implant to make up for her 'disability'? Not so nice.

Regardless, now she could really listen in without any auditory distractions.

Sweeping her long, dark hair out of her vision, she went back to watching the lips of the two women as they now continued speaking in a much more heated manner.

"I don't have to take this from you-I made my decision a long time ago." Her mother was rising from her seat. "I'll show you out," she said, her brows knit tightly together as she walked stiffly toward the front door. The Latina turned and Jazz could no longer read either of their lips.

Suddenly, her mother abruptly stopped in her retreat as though in reaction to something. She stood there for a long moment and Jazz wondered if they were speaking at all. Finally, the nurse spun about to face the other woman and Jazz ducked down for a brief moment, keeping her eyes trained on her mother.

"Just a week?"

Out of her periphery she saw the younger woman nod in response.

She saw her mother sigh deeply, looking with a resignation at the floor for a beat. "Fine. Give me an hour. I need to pack and make arrangements for Jazz while we're gone."

Her eyes widening, Jazz back-pedalled away from the window before rushing toward the front of the house once again. 'While they're gone'? Where was she going? Was she really going to leave her all by herself?

She slowed as she made it closer to the front door, processing what she'd just seen. All that talk about caring for her well-being and she was just going to up and leave on a whim? That… wasn't really a bad thing, was it? Didn't she want more independence from her mother?

The teen placed a hand over the front handle, the other reaching up to briefly touch the device hanging over her left ear. She wasn't incompetent. She could handle herself. She knew that.

The issue wasn't her. The issue was her mother was keeping a secret from her.

She opened the door.

And she was going to find out what.

As Jazz stepped into the house, she almost ran into the Latina woman who blinked in surprise at her. After a beat, the woman smiled at her, almost as though greeting a long lost friend.

"Jasmine! It's been a while. Just got back from school?"

Jazz's lips pressed into a thin line as she was called by her formal name and the young woman immediately tried to take it back. "Ah ha, Jazz, you remember me, right? Ms. Beats? I used to come here…"

In a moment of realization, it dawned on her that she had seen her before-multiple times in fact. She was an old vocal instructor of hers, one that Jazz actually liked, but for some reason had never stuck around. So, why was she back? And why was she taking her mom somewhere for a week?

Of course, she couldn't ask that-Ms. Beats would know she'd been listening in. Still, probably good to say something. "Yes, I do remember you, Ms. Beats," she said instead, "Are you back to teach me again? I know Mr. Alex is on break right now...:"

The vocal instructor hesitated for a moment and seemed about to answer until she was cut off.

"Jazz!" Her mother walked in from the kitchen, smiling at Jazz. "Good to see you made it home safely. Isla, you can go wait in the car-I'll be there soon."

Beats seemed reluctant but nodded and brushed past Jazz to go outside. The young teen looked at her mother in curiosity before making a series of motions with her hands. "_What's going on?_" she signed to her mother.

Her mother sighed, biting her lip before signing back. "_I'm leaving for about a week. Emergency. I've called the Lobos and they said you can stay there. They'll be here later this evening so get packed._"

Jazz furrowed her brow before nodding slowly and saying, "Just a week, right?"

Her mother smiled. She always liked it when Jazz talked rather than signed.

"Just a week," the nurse replied before gesturing toward the stairs, "Now go get packed. And make sure you bring all of Prowl's things, alright?"

The teen rolled her eyes, signing an, "I know," before heading up the stairs.

Quickly dumping her school bag on the floor, she opened up her closet and gathered her emergency supplies-a duffel bag with a few days worth of clothes and a some non-perishable food items. She silently thanked her past self for having the foresight to pack something before-hand. As she reached for her boots near the back, she almost jumped when she felt something warm brush against her back.

Turning quickly, she thoroughly expected her mom had come up to 'check' on her. However, she sagged a bit in relief when she saw a small white and black cat bumping against her back and mewling at her. Smiling, she scratched him behind the ears while groping about her closet for her boots with her other hand.

"I'm going away for a while," she said quietly as she pulled on her boots. "Don't worry, Josh will take care of you."

The small feline simply blinked at her before yawning.

She laughed slightly before standing, she quickly stepped over Prowl to her desk to write a quick note out. "_I've gone with mom for the week. Sorry for the inconvenience..._"

She hesitated to write more, breathing out heavily. Was she really doing this?

Looking out her bedroom window, she could see Beats sitting in the car, singing along with some music she was playing based on the way she kept tapping out a rhythm on the steering wheel. She could sneak into the trunk if she waited by the side of the house...

Her lips pressed thinly into a determined line and she proceeded to write. "_Take care of Prowl for me, k? -Jazz._"

Setting down the pen, she slung her bag over her shoulder before picking up Prowl who dug her claws into her thick sweater in protest and she headed down to wait in the kitchen. She'd have to say 'goodbye' to her mom first.

She was really doing this. The only downside, she supposed as she petted the agitated cat along his spine to calm him, was that she wouldn't see Prowl for a week. But anything was worth finding out what her mom was hiding from her after all this time.

Anything.

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A/N: Reviews and critiques are appreciated!


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